ST. CROIX – Before a tent-filled audience and surrounded by booths of vendors, St. Croix’s 45th annual Agrifest got off to a late but rousing start on Saturday, Feb. 13.
Among 100 platform guests and those making special remarks at the opening ceremony was President David Hall of the University of the Virgin Islands.
Agricultural development is fundamental to the Virgin Island’s future, the University President said.
“We realize that we need to do more in regards to agriculture development especially academic agricultural development,” he declared.
In noting the university’s efforts to advance and promote agriculture, he commented, “We are in the early stage of exploring how we can do more in regards to creating academic programs related to agriculture.”
As the new semester starts, students here at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) have a lot on their minds. Our staff went around surveying local and exchange students to learn their thoughts and opinions for the Spring Semester of 2016.
David Beavans
first semester exchange student
What was your first reaction to St. Thomas and/or UVI? What surprised you the most?
My first reaction to UVI was kind of bad. This school is super tiny compared to my college back home. I arrived and my phone didn’t have service, hardly anyone was on campus, I didn’t have the code for the WiFi, and there were problems with my room. It was pretty tough for the entire afternoon. Then I met some other National Student Exchange students at dinner and everything changed completely.
What was your biggest mistake of last semester/something you want to improve this semester?
Last semester, I slacked off at the beginning of my classes. Thus, I dug a hole for myself and was forced to climb out of it by the end of the semester. This semester I’m going hard in the beginning so it will be easier at the end.
What are your goals for the end of the semester?
My goals by the end of the semester are to visit a lot of places, make lifelong friends, and become more cultured.
ST. THOMAS — University of the Virgin Islands’ students will soon have easy access to campus facilities such as the library and fitness center on the weekends.
ST. CROIX – Students from the Juanita Gardine Elementary School toured the University of the Virgin Islands’ grounds as part of their school-wide cultural tour on Friday, May 8.
ST. THOMAS – Thursday morning on March 12, 2015 was an ugly morning; a combination of steel-grey cloud bands choking the sunlight from the sky, along with a growing heat emanating from the ground made for muggy conditions across UVI’s St. Thomas campus. For Professor Pamela New and the students of her “Voice and Diction” class, their teaching space wasn’t much of an improvement: a dimly-lit, derelict mini-stage room within the second floor of the CAB building known only as “The Little Theater.”
The UVI Little Theater in its current state of disrepair. Photo credit: David B. Gumbs
For many performers, students and Humanities professors, to say that conditions within UVI’s “Little Theater” are “humble” would be considered a gross understatement. The stage consists of little more than bare concrete flooring and rickety, raised plywood platforms covered with scattered screws and nails that have fallen from the patchwork ceiling, from where the stains of water damage and raw electrical cables hang exposed for all to see.
The seating consists of nothing more than 30 or so raggedy stadium chairs, some with a view of the stage that is obscured by the handful of ill-placed support beams that are strewn among the front row seats.
Completing the forlorn and creepy atmosphere, almost the entire room – from the derelict stage, to the splintery plywood walls, to the dilapidated ceiling, and even the aforementioned support beams – are covered in endless layers of thick black paint. Coupled with the non-existent sound system and lighting that operates seemingly on its own accord, the conditions of the old theater can be considered absolutely oppressive by modern standards, and unquestionably neglectful for a $40,000-a-year University.
Despite the horrendous conditions, however, the UVI Little theater and those who have dedicated themselves to the craft have given the island some of the most critically acclaimed performances in modern memory: plays such as The Lady of Param, Angels in the Snow, and the recent “Hubert Harrison” have all received universal praise and serve as powerful examples of the students’ dedication and talent for the arts.
The theater’s sound and light control room photo credit: David Gumbs
The performing arts are not the only discipline to feel the sting of the university’s neglect; a mere fifteen feet away from the foreboding darkness of that crumbling theater lay the offices of the Humanities: a cramped, narrow wooden trailer segmented into 12 claustrophobic rooms. Whereas fields such as mathematics or the sciences are given proper, expansive offices and supplies to properly conduct business, it would seem that the Humanities constantly find themselves shortchanged and disregarded at every turn, regardless of the success and acclaim that they earn.
In light of the praise and recognition that the Humanities (and the Little Theater in particular) earn for UVI, one question surfaces: “Despite UVI’s self-marketed identity as a “Liberal Arts” institution, is the university truly dedicated to the Arts?”
“The quick answer is ‘no,’” says Dr. Alexander Randall, a professor of communications. Fresh from his late afternoon communications class, his jovial, laid-back disposition brimming with energy nevertheless dims with frustration at the aforementioned inquisition. “No university gives enough support to the Humanities, yet cannot explain ‘why?’”
The Little Theater view obstructed by support beam Photo credit: David B. Gumbs
Speculating on the reason behind the lack of support, he said “There’s more of a focus on ‘practicality’ versus ‘passion.’” An example of this alleged preferential treatment of the other disciplines over the Humanities lies in his recent successful campaign to add two new art classes to the curriculum.
“It took 2 years of constant battling with the Curriculum Committee, just to add those two classes,” said a weary and frustrated Dr. Randall. “All the while, they fought back by nitpicking over things like the font used in the required textbooks, or the margins in the report I had to submit. Then at the end of it, some guy from the Business department came in and casually requested, like, another set of textbooks and they immediately fast-tracked his request, without the two-year process I just had to go through; It’s very frustrating.”
One Humanities Professor, the resident playwright David Edgecombe, offers a more sympathetic, but similar view. With his salt-and-pepper hair askew and his eyes bloodshot from a lack of sleep, he sniffles and coughs throughout the interview, his illness stemmed not from a cold or flu, but rather from a flurry of preparations and last-minute adjustments; it is the premier night of his latest work at the Little Theater, a biopic play about the titular character, “Hubert Harrison.”
“The question of whether or not the Humanities are being marginalized is a difficult one,” he said. “Like anything, it’s a matter of costs; resources are scarce, and sometimes people aren’t attuned to looking at the arts. That’s not entirely the responsibility of the school; it falls also on the artist to promote the arts to the public.”
Other Humanities instructors, such as the aforementioned Pamela New, equate Dr. Randall’s views.
“”The Arts are being under-funded and are under-supported,” stated Professor New plainly, who despite suffering a sore shoulder earned during some household gardening, remains passionate and dedicated to the subject at hand. “The Humanities are being marginalized and are lacking support; Performances are being carried out in disreputable conditions with faulty equipment.”
Despite the various setbacks, restrictions and varied opinions on the matter, however, everyone agrees that the Humanities are still popular and important, not just for the school but the local community overall.
“Students are still interested,” Professor New said. “Students are still signing up for Humanities courses, Reichold Theater events bring in a great amount of capital for UVI, and most of the events such as the theater productions are usually sold out… So there is still definitely interest.”
According to Dr. Randall, “The arts are very important to local culture; the Humanities make us aware of the unknown, what it means, and inspires us.”
“Theater helps to understand the world and culture around us,” professor Edgecombe said, equating the views of Dr. Randall. “The concept of ‘education’ is progressively outpacing the institution of the ‘academy’ or the ‘school.’ If we are to avoid becoming an anachronism, we must learn to embrace a wide spectrum of subjects, rather than prioritizing some subjects over others.”
With the overall feeling of oppression by the bureaucratic masters of the school, the final question that arises from this subject is “what would these champions of the arts do differently, if given the authority to change the current status quo?”
Both Dr. Randall and Professor Edgecombe believe that the answers lie not with academic bureaucrats or high-minded college professors, but instead with high school students, and those who are not yet certain about their future.
“The management should treat the Humanities with respect,” Dr. Randall commented. “Instead of prioritizing one subject over another, we should be considering more high school rallies and career days, and convince the next generations on why college is important.”
“A ‘theater-in-education program would be a wonderful bridge between the humanities and other education departments,” Professor New said. “Everyone remembers the teachers that engaged us through vibrant, dynamic communications skills and content… I would also restore the Little Theater, which would grant students a proper place to perform, while serving as a source of additional income to recoup the costs.”
Time will tell whether or not the gulf between UVI’s business side and artistic side can be mended. Until then, that darkened antechamber of theatrical wonders will remain in its dilapidated repose, and both Professor New and her students will continue their performances within the little theater painted black.
ST. THOMAS – Liliana Moreno comes to the Center for Student Success for about three hours every day where she works as a Learning Assistant.
Some of her time at the CSS is spent tutoring students in Spanish, but when she is not patiently explaining to her tutees how to conjugate stem-changing verbs and other difficult concepts in Spanish, she sits at a table by herself catching up on her assignments. She barely converses with the other learning assistants or other students inside the CSS. She would politely smile, though, and return a greeting, but she would hardly initiate a conversation.
At the end of her shift, she folds her laptop, signs out her hours, leaves the center and heads for her next destination.
More than a year ago, Liliana Moreno, a Mexican exchange student, left her Universidad Internacional located in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico and headed for the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas campus. Her friend, who attended UVI but has since returned to his native Mexico, told her about the university and relayed the wonderful experiences he had on the island.
“He loved the food, the language wasn’t a problem because he speaks English very well and he told me it was a nice place,” Moreno said.
At the urging of her friend, Moreno left her hometown and flew almost 4,000 miles to the U.S. Virgin Islands. When her plane landed at the Cyril E. King Airport, the island was enveloped in darkness, except for airport lights and streetlights.
“When I first came, I saw the island; it was a little different than I thought,” Moreno said. “When I saw it, it was so small and I thought that I was in the middle of nowhere, nobody lived here and I had to go back home.”
Moreno managed to settle into her college dorm, but she has had to grapple with several challenges: the language barrier, the culture, the food and the attitude of the locals.
“When I came here, I couldn’t speak or understand one word of English. It was very difficult for me. I thought I would have to drop every class,” Moreno said.
After three semesters of taking English classes, Moreno has improved in speaking English but she now faces the challenge of writing the language.
She is still not fluent in English and that has hampered her participation in class.
“Even if I understand and want to say something, I don’t know how to say it,” Moreno said. “It takes time for me to formulate a thought and by the time I want to say it, it’s time to move on to another subject. I usually stay quiet in the class and if I have a friend in the class, I go to them for help and ask them to explain to me what the professor said in class.”
St. Thomas Campus entrance sign. File photo from UVI’s website
Even outside of the classroom, Moreno has difficulty talking with her peers.
“I want to be in conversations, but people talk fast. By the time I finish my sentence, people are on another topic,” she said.
The manner of English speakers is also baffling to Moreno.
“English and Spanish speakers speak differently,” she said. “We speak with more passion; English speakers are less passionate. When we laugh, we say ‘ha, ha, ha,’ but English speakers say LOL. Or if they think they’re laughing a lot, they write LMAO. In my culture, if you say something, it shows.”
Moreno faces another conundrum – the attitude of local students.
“I have a problem with the people; I don’t understand how they act sometimes. For example, they say yes when they mean no. I don’t understand that. In Mexico, when we say no, we mean no,” she said. “Another thing is that sometimes students speak to me, we have a good conversation, and then for the next few days, they don’t speak to me. I see them in the hallway and when I say hello to them, they look at me strangely. I don’t understand that.”
As for the food, Moreno misses her spicy gastronomical delights.
“The food tastes different and at first, I didn’t enjoy it. I am able to eat it now, but not a lot like other people. Nothing is spicy, nothing is lemon; I feel like something is missing from it,” she said.
Moreno is one of the 120 international students who are enrolled at UVI and who also face challenges on campus. Even students from other neighboring Caribbean islands have expressed some issues that they face. Candace Samuel, a Kittitian, is one such student.
“As international students, we have to wait for a whole year to get approval to work on campus and then we have to wait to be processed by Social Security,” she said. “When I was approached by the Science Department to be a peer instructor for Science 100, I readily agreed and when I began the employment process, it appeared that Mary Myers, program specialist II counseling and placement wasn’t very receptive about having international students work on campus. However, I went through the process and now I’m employed.”
Her sentiments were echoed by another Kittitian student, Andrea Wilson.
“Students have to wait a year before they can get a job on campus and even when they are enrolled for a year, they still can’t source an on-campus job. Also, it’s very seldom that international students get selected for jobs at the Access and Enrollment office or the library; they mostly get jobs as RAs,” she said.
South Dorm is one of several residence halls on the St. Thomas campus. File photo from UVI’s website.
Another gripe for Samuel is that there are not enough scholarships for international students.
“Some of the scholarships don’t apply to us. Most of them are for permanent residents or U.S. citizens. I think UVI can offer more scholarships for international students,” she said.
Lack of communication is an issue for Lyncia Dore, a student from St. Kitts who is majoring in education.
“You have to go up and down to get information. It’s like a back and forth when you’re trying to find out information. You go to one office that you think should have the information you’re looking for, they send you to another office and that office refers you to the office you’ve already been to. Information is not readily available. I think they need an office to deal with the affairs of international students,” she said.
Unlike some universities on the mainland that have an Office of International Affairs that helps international students to adjust to their new environment and fosters a vibrant international community, UVI has a Coordinator of International Services. Barbara Todman holds that position on the St. Thomas campus.
Todman confirmed that international students are required to wait for one year before they can be hired on campus by the Placement Office. She said, however, that although not all divisions hire international students, there are some departments that do hire them.
“Whenever students come to me for help seeking employment, I send them to offices that do hire them, like the President’s Office, the Office of the Provost, Accounting, Reichhold Center and the Associate Vice President of Administration and Finance,” Todman said. “Some students are here for three or four years and they haven’t found work since they applied. So I tell them to go to speak with those employers, they set up with Ms. Myers in the Placement Office and she puts the paperwork through.”
Mary Myers holds the position of Program Specialist II Counseling and Placement Provost’s Office. Calls to her office were not returned.
International students cannot get paid out of federal funds, but if they are hired by a department on campus, that department must have disposable income to pay them, Todman said.
According to Todman, international students have other employment options, such as Optional Practical Training.
“They can do OPT for 12 months here in the Virgin Islands or on the mainland after they graduate,” she said.
The exact number of international students enrolled at UVI was not available. Todman recalls that in January, she processed about 123 international students on the St. Thomas campus alone.
ST. THOMAS – The international students and the diversity they bring, lend quite a bit to the melting pot of the University of the Virgin Islands’ population. At UVI the population comprises American students, other Caribbean students and a small mixture of students from foreign countries. These students play an influential role in aspects of the university experience. Their impact extends to the economic, cultural and educational spheres.
Among other things, international students weigh heavily on the economic scale. They are required to pay tuition and other fees which are generally higher, than for resident students. In some instances, they are required to rent apartments, which in effect requires that they purchase food, buy groceries and take transportation to and from school and other places.
Aside from academia, students require some level of entertainment which oftentimes leads them to visit popular sites around the island, ‘hang out’ and spend money. To some extent, international students merit the same value as tourists. To say the least, they can be considered as tourists on an extended stay.
With various languages such as English, Spanish, French and others, international students bring a variety of slangs, phrases and dialects. Their unique languages encourage the bilingual spirit of some students who are interested in adopting the language of another country.
The overall varying lifestyle of international students introduces a new dimension to other students. Their differences in fashion, food preferences, norms and customs are all intertwined as they share the same temporary home.
The myriad of religious beliefs brought by international students help to open other student’s minds to what lies beyond their own culture. In essence, international students bring to the university a new way of life, a different culture.
An international student on the St. Thomas campus “hanging out” and enjoying island life. (photo credit: Liliana Morenoreyes)
Although all students come to UVI with the common goal of learning, international students bring with them a variety of different learning techniques which they are able to share. Similarly, students engaging in foreign languages can seek the assistance of international students who possess these languages as their first language. Peer tutoring is an asset to any learning institution as it is understood that while students may not grasp concepts taught by their professors, it is sometimes easier to understand material explained by a peer. Also, international students are known to excel even beyond their academic disciplines. Their involvement in a number of extracurricular activities helps them to stand out among other students.
It is fair to claim that international students serve an important role among the general UVI student population. It is understood that due to their different backgrounds, they possess a host of differences compared to resident students. Thus, when all the international students, American, other Caribbean and a small mixture of others are combined with the resident students, it produces a melting pot, a diverse university.
ST. THOMAS — The University of the Virgin Islands is set to host the 26th edition of Afternoon on the Green on Sunday March 15, on the Herman E. Moore Golf Course, St. Thomas Campus. UVI is inviting the community to partake in food, family fun and live entertainment. The event commences at noon to 5 p.m. and will be held under the theme “It’s a Cultural Scene at Afternoon on the Green.” Liza Margolis, UVI senior coordinator of donor relations and special events said that Afternoon on the Green is a one-of-a-kind fun event that changes every year. Proceeds from the annual event fund scholarships for UVI students.
Prizes for this year’s cook-off competition include round-trip tickets to Puerto Rico, dinner for four provided by Passion Fruit Chefs and two round-trip tickets to St. Croix. Prizes will also be awarded to cooks in each category, which include pastries and sweets, soups, native drinks, vegetables/casseroles, main dishes/meats/poultry, seafood, and breads.
Entertainment will be provided by Cool Session, Flip Switch, Flambo Combo, the EBO Steel Owls, the Mungo Niles Cultural Dancers and the Cherubim Wesleyan Methodist Dancers. In the Kid’s Village, there will be fun games, relay races, kick ball, hula hoops, tug of war and bounce houses. There will also be a mini parade of 25 vintage Volkswagens and Mustangs that will make a grand entrance on the green.
The Afternoon on the Green is sponsored by West Indian Company Limited, First Bank, St. Thomas Federal Credit Union, the VI Housing Authority – Youth Build, VI Waste Management Authority, Thrive Chiropractic, Pro Solar, VI Auto Club, MSI, Merchants Bank, Paint Depot, the West Indies Company, Choice Communications, Seaborne Airlines and 104.3 The Buzz.
ST.CROIX- The University of the Virgin Islands has implemented new safety and security measures such as the electronic gate and parking plan to improve the day-to-day operations on campus.
The safety and security of UVI students, faculty and staff is a fundamental concern. The Security Department on the UVI campus works around the clock to ensure the safety of everyone.
“When it comes to security, we have to take it as priority. It means the safety of people and buildings so we have to make sure the people who come here are safe whether they come by vehicle or foot,” Security office, Leonard Nero said.
However, Cheddi Rogers, a male residential student, expressed his views on the safety measures on campus.
“I feel safe to an extent, it’s not 100 percent safe because it is an open campus,” Rogers said. “As far as the gates and swipe cards, I feel that the campus is so small all of this is not necessary, someone could still get on campus easily.”
Surveillance cameras and emergency phones have been installed around the campus as a safety measure; however, in 2013, the installation of the electronic gate and parking plan came into effect as another safety measure on campus.
The electronic gate is of one UVI’s recent projects. The operation hours of the gate are from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Mondays to Fridays and 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Saturday, Sundays and holidays. The electronic gate helps control, grant access and keep track of who goes in and out of the campus. Upon entry into the campus, everyone is required press the button to call the Security Department and then give their name, license plate number or student ID if they are a student or the reason for entry onto the campus. There have been reports about the gate in terms of lack of privacy and giving fake names or license plate numbers.
“I won’t say the gate ridiculous, it kind of makes sense, for instance when someone is coming to me and I don’t know, security won’t let them in unless I call them and let them know someone is coming to me,” Rogers said.
The parking plan is another safety measure. It serves as a means for improved parking safety on campus, effective utilization of parking spaces and to keep a record and distinguish between faculty, students and visitors.
“It is knowing who park where, we might not know where a particular student park but if it’s a student we know he or she is supposed to be parked in a student parking lot,” Nero said.
Every faculty and student on campus is required to register his or her vehicle online via Ban Web. After completion of this, faculty and students may obtain a sticker for his or her vehicle in the Security Department on campus.
In addition to all these measure being put in place, the UV I Security Department restricts the use, selling or possession of marijuana, alcohol and other drugs. The UVI campus is a drug and alcohol free campus. UVI also has a hotline with VIPD, therefore in case of an emergency they call 911.
The safety of everyone at UVI is of importance to the UVI Security Department.
New furniture at UVI Cafeteria Photo Credit: Patrice Harris
ST. THOMAS — Responding to concerns and outcry from students for an improvement in the dining experience at the University of the Virgin Islands St. Thomas Campus, the university contracted Goddard Catering Group (GCG) as the new vendor in January 2015.
The five-year contract with GCG , which commenced in spring 2015, replaced L’ettoile Catering, which served the university for nearly a decade.
Housing and dining services supervisor at UVI, Sean Georges, said “the university received bids from four vendors and were impressed with the plans and presentation by GCG.”
Georges also said that the new cafeteria is a brand new style of dining.
The new vendor has implemented massive changes since assuming its role in January 2015. These changes include: All-you-can-eat buffets from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, and the installation of new furniture and healthier meal options for students. Another newly implemented change is that students are no longer allowed to remove food from the dining pavilion.
According to a statement on the company’s website last September, GCG intends to improve “student nutrition and meal plans as well as the dining area by providing unique, innovative, cost-effective concepts that would provide the students with a variety of meal options with flexible pricing and meal times to accommodate their busy schedules.”
General Manager Jahmal Dyer said the dining pavilion is not complete. Other changes to be made include the installation of air conditioning, a sound system, touch screen monitors to display daily menus and a wider variety of menu choices.
Dyer added that the company is currently searching for another chef to help implement a greater selection of special diet meal options and cultural days including Oriental Day.
Secondary education senior Kimberly Donovan said that she likes the new cafeteria. She said that the staff is friendly, the décor is welcoming and the food has improved significantly.
While students have lodged complaints and provided suggestions on how service at the new cafeteria can be further improved, the overall feedback on the new dining pavilion has been positive.
The award winning company supplies food to US Airways, United Airlines, Continental Airways, Delta Airlines and Net Jets. GCG is also the proprietor of Delly Deck on St. Thomas.
GCG is based in Latin America and the Caribbean and owns restaurants in the Virgin Islands.
ST.THOMAS–Let’s face it cafeteria food does not always satisfy one’s hunger. Often, students would rather go out, or have food delivered to their room.
“Sometimes I do not feel like eating the café food and going off campus is easy, so why not.” Gabrielle Joseph, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of the Virgin Islands said.
Here is a list of the top five places to eat under $10 on St. Thomas, for UVI students:
1. Burger Maxx–Conveniently placed on the waterfront, Burger Maxx is your go-to place for burgers, wings, fries and sandwiches. Their hours are perfect for a hungry college student. On weekdays, they open from 11a.m. to midnight. On Fridays, they are open from 11 a.m. to 5 a.m. Saturdays, their doors open at 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. Their business hours on Sundays are from 6 p.m. and 12 a.m. They also have a lunch special: ½ pound burger with fries and a beverage for only $10. Although it may take a while for your order to be ready, customers are able to relax in their air conditioned store front, or outside under the cabana. To avoid long lines and waiting times, call in your order!
2. Domino’s–Located less than five minutes away from campus in Nisky Center, Domino’s is the favorite of many students. This establishment serves pizza, sandwiches, and wings. The hours are Mondays through Thursdays: 10 a.m.to 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to midnight and on Sundays, 11a.m. to 10 p.m. This is the most convenient and simple way to get food. They deliver for only $2.50 extra. One thing that may deter students from buying is that the order has to be over $17, including the delivery fee
Burger Maxx ½ burger with seasoned fries Taken by: Kiana John-Baptiste
3. Subway- This popular food chain is located right next to Domino’s and is the healthiest choice out of all of them. Subway has a special for everyday; a six inch sub with a drink for $5. There also is the popular $5 foot long. Their hours are Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturdays 8 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and Sundays 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The sandwiches are very filling and cost effective. There are very few negative comments on this fast-food chain.
4. Wendy’s- Located about 15 minutes from campus, in the Havensight area, is the Wendy’s restaurant. This American fast food chain sells sandwiches, fries and frosty’s. Their hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Sunday through Thursdays and on Fridays and Sundays, the open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. The drive-thru is always opened an hour later in respect to the restaurant times. The meals here may be a little pricey.
5. McDonald’s- There are two locations that are easily accessible for UVI students: One is about 10 minutes away in Frenchtown, and the other about 20 minutes away in Lockhart Gardens. McDonald’s has a $4.75 special combo for each day of the week. They often rearrange them to prevent the customers from becoming bored with their choices. This is the cheapest option that students have. The hours are Sunday through Thursday 6 a.m. until 11p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays, they are open until midnight. Although this option is not the healthiest, it can be filling; just do not visit it too often!
ST. THOMAS – Thanks to a mutually beneficial partnership between the University of the Virgin Islands and the St. Thomas Historical Trust, students and teachers from the University’s Science 100 classes were ferried over to Hassel Island on January 31, where they participated in a beach cleanup and beautification event.
Students and Science 100 Professors participate in a beach cleanup on Hassel Island on January 31. Photo Credit: David Gumbs
After meeting at the staging area outside of the Hook Line & Sinker restaurant in Frenchtown, the volunteers were divided into three groups and sent over to Hassel Island, with each group being assigned to a different beachhead.
Once on island, each group received a brief but educational tour of the surrounding landmarks and historical sites before spreading out and beginning the cleanup itself.
The resulting experience, which covered a great deal of the island’s shores and nature trails, was a success in helping to preserve both the natural beauty of the local environment and the fragile existence of important historical areas.
It also served as an example to an important topic of discussion: just what impact does the environment have on the University?
“It’s huge,” Amber McCammon, a Science 100 professor on the St. Thomas campus said. “Lots of people come here just for the marine biology program… [but] it’s imperative that we maintain [a balance] for health and tourism reasons also; everything’s connected.”
For the student body, the environment was also a concern as respective Business and Communication students Rachel van Beverhaudt and Asyshah Smith shared.
“[I feel] the environment is in a dangerous position,” van Beverhaudt said. Smith added, “[UVI] needs to maintain it, and it needs to be taken seriously.”
The University seems to approach the topic with dedication since it not only sponsors events such as beach and campus cleanups, but it also raises awareness of the local environment through small natural exhibits that showcase the local ecosystem and flora.
Once on island, each group received a brief but educational tour of the surrounding landmarks and historical sites before spreading out and beginning the cleanup itself. Photo Credit: David Gumbs
But can UVI do more? Professor McCammon believes so.
“Events like the beach cleanup on Hassel Island are a solid start, but more can be done,” she said. McCammon stressed that the inclusion of more of the various majors would create a broader range of appeal, which is key for future involvement.
With the environment being such a major part of Virgin Islands identity and income, UVI should be well aware of the consequences of its help, or lack thereof.
St Thomas | WUVI Media Club in conjunction with SGA will hosting their “BUCS Pride Forever” Pep Rally on November 14, 2014. Show up and Show out with your BUCs Pride. Games, prizes and live entertainment will be provided. Continue reading BUCS Pride Forever!→
SAMECA HENDRICKSON | ST THOMAS – After competing in poise, talent, image, and personal/private interview, Elisa M. Thomas, Miss UVI 2014-2015, captured the prestigious title of Miss NBCA Hall of Fame Queens Pageant. Thomas vied for title among 29 other HBCU royalty in Atlanta, Georgia on September 24-28.
University faculty and staff, students and well wishers greatly applaud Thomas on her a job well done!
David Beavans
UVI VOICE 